Fantastic Fall Recipes for Your Fall Feast

Fall is here and the scent of baked goods is everywhere. The sweet spice of cinnamon has taken over the smell of lilacs and freshly-mown grass. Bright fall colors have taken over where lush green forests once dominated and people are slipping into bright orange vests instead of swimsuits. Everywhere you look you can see pumpkins and Indian corn decorating homes, the harvest season is truly upon us. And what better way to celebrate the harvest and hunting seasons than with some fun new fall recipes?

Baked & Stuffed Apples

Baked and stuffed apples are a fantastic way to get into the autumn spirit! One of the best ways to celebrate fall is by finding a local orchard and going apple picking! Grab a group of your best friends or round up your family and head over the orchard of your choice. You’ll have tons of fun walking through the rows and rows of apples, looking at all of the different variants in this delicious fruit. You’ll get the chance to pick apples that fit your apple needs perfectly, Ambrosia apples are some of the sweetest while McIntosh apples are popular in savory dishes. While you’re running around, having fun with your loved ones and picking apples, don’t forget to take the chance to appreciate the fall foliage! Once you have gathered your favorite apples, why not bake them into something other than the usual apple pies and strudels? Baked and stuffed apples are a delicious way to mix up your apple game! Here are two fun and unique apple recipes you should try this fall.

Slice the apples in half (or leave whole if you are feeling ambitious), and gently scoop out the center to create a bowl-like shape. Stuff the apples with the brown sugar, try to evenly coat the edges. In a separate bowl combine the nuts and fruits with the butters. Mix in the jam or spices and stuff the apples with the mixture. For the Raz-Huckleberry Baked Apples top it off with some goat cheese crumbles and bake them at 375°F (190°C) for 30-45 minutes, or until the apples are cooked through and tender.

Barm Brack

Is there anything more fall-tastic than Halloween? The jack-o-lanterns, the spooky ghosts, the fun costumes. It’s the best part of Fall and the part everyone looks forward too! But do you know the origins of our beloved Halloween? Many of the traditions we associate with Halloween come from an ancient tradition called Samhain (pronounced sow-when). Samhain is the third and final harvest, a goodbye to summer and the beginning of winter. It’s also a time when the veil that separates our world from the next is thinnest, allowing ghosts and spirits to pass through and mingle with the living. It’s a wonderful and spooky festival that is still celebrated in many parts of the world today. One of the most common dishes served at Samhain was Barm Brack, a yeasted bread with dried fruits and spices. Traditionally the baker would put little trinkets into the bread, each item foretold an event that would happen in the coming year. A ring would mean a marriage, a coin meant wealth, and a piece of cloth would mean bad luck. Even if you don’t hide fortunes in your Barm Brack, it’s still a delicious and fun fall recipe.

Soak the dried fruit mixes in the hot tea for two and a half hours. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your baking pan. For the Wild Huckleberry Barm Braück mix the dry ingredients and set aside. Mix the wet ingredients, for the Wild Huckleberry that’s the egg, sugar, marmalade, zest and soaked fruit. For the Spiced Beer Barm Brack mix the beer, marmalade, zest and the soaked fruit. Fold the wet ingredients gently into the dry ingredients until just combined. Place the dough in the baking pan and bake for one hour, make sure it’s cooked all the way through. Let cool and enjoy!

(If you want to add trinkets simply press them into the Barm Brack once it is in the pan)

Chocolate Venison Stew

Photo courtesy of GoodToKnow Photo courtesy of Longevity Live

Fall is the time when the world gets ready for the long winter that’s just ahead. It’s the final harvest before the frost can kill the crops. Fall is also the time when people begin to hunt, providing extra food during the winter when it was scarce. A great fall food to include in your autumn feast is any wild game. From the rich taste of duck to the musky taste of venison, wild game meat offers a wide range of flavor experiences. Not only that but game meat can be cooked in a wide variety of different styles, from chili and burgers to sausage and steaks. But why stick to the same old recipes? Have a real fall feast by cooking your favorite elk or venison steaks into a harvest stew that features some delicious fall vegetables and a sweet twist!

Begin by slicing the venison steaks into cubes and lightly searing them in the canola oil. Once all the venison is browned set aside. Add the vegetables and garlic to the pan and begin to cook. Stir occasionally until they begin to caramelize, for the Bourbon and Brandy Stew add the brandy and let it cook. Add the stock, wine, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the herbs and return the venison to the pan. Let the venison cook until tender. Add the chocolate (I recommend Bourbon Chocolate and Last Best Chocolate), and some salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms in a separate skillet. Once they are brown slowly stir them into the stew! Serve with a side of bread or dinner rolls and enjoy!

BBQ Sandwiches

Fall is more than hunting and Halloween. The leaves are changing and the nights are getting longer and education is beginning! The fall is when school starts again! From kindergarteners starting their first years in academia to the adults who are entering the last year of their Master's degrees, school is finally in session after a long summer vacation! Not only are classes starting for students, but after school activities are in full swing as well. Marching bands begin practice, while student councils begin meeting, and the athletes are starting their seasons. Fall means that football season is in full swing! Middle schoolers and pros alike are warming up for the big games. And we’re all getting ready for the BBQs and tailgates that come with football season! These recipes will make you feel like your at a tailgate and are great fall favorites!

Rub the brisket with the salt, pepper, and other herbs. Once it is thoroughly seasoned, drizzle olive oil over the brisket than sear well on both sides. Once the brisket is seared, roughly chop the vegetables and place them in a pan. Set the brisket in fat-side up and add the bay leaves. Add the vegetable stalk so the bottom 2 inches are covered. Cover and roast for four-and-a-half hours at 350°F (175°C). Once it’s done cooking brush the Huckleberry BBQ sauce over the brisket and let cook an additional five minutes. Cover the brisket and let it cool for one hour, slice it and pour additional huckleberry sauce over the brisket and vegetables, enjoy!

Peel the mangos and slice. Place the pits in a slow cooker. Rub the salt, pepper, and 1 tsp of the chipotle powder into the pork shoulder. Place the shoulder in the slow cooker and add the balsamic vinegar and water. Cook it on low until the meat is very tender, about five to eight hours. Drain the liquid and shred the meat, set aside. Puree mangos until smooth and place in a saucepan with the honey, the rest of the chipotle powder and the bourbon. Let it simmer until the mangos have darkened slightly and then stiff in the sweet n spicy bbq sauce. Remove from heat. Place the shredded meat into the slow cooker and stir in the bbq sauce, let it cook another 1-2 hours. Once it’s done you can enjoy the sweet and spicy take on a bbq favorite!

Traditional Treats with a Twist!

Let’s be honest, Halloween is one of the most beloved holidays because of the candy. I mean, what’s not to love about getting the chance to dress up in some crazy disguise, knock on random people’s doors and get free sweets? Halloween is a fun night full of mystery and mischief. Maybe it has to do with the spooky origins of Halloween or the fact that everyone is hiding behind their masks but the “Trick” part of trick-or-treating is visible everywhere! However, for every creepy goblin mask for playing tricks, there is a pumpkin shaped bucket for collecting the treats! But why just use store bought candy for your guests this Halloween? The “Treat” in trick-or-treat used to be little cakes called Soul Cakes and were homemade! This year try making unique treats of your own with these traditional treats with a new twist!

Fill a medium saucepan with water and set to low-medium heat. Place a stainless steel bowl over the saucepan, make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Add the dark chocolate and stir gently every now and then. Grab a baking sheet and place parchment paper on the bottom. Once the chocolate is melted add the almonds and mix them in. Pour the dark chocolate and almonds onto the baking sheet and form into a square. Use a spoon to drizzle the huckleberry filling over the surface of the white chocolate and almonds. Swirl the sauce into the dark chocolate to get an even distribution and let the brittle sit for two-three hours. Tada! Dark chocolate almond huckleberry brittle!

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the two together and then gently add in the oats and chocolate raisins. Spoon the dough into cookies on the ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, eight-ten minutes.

From Halloween to hunting to Homecoming, fall has a lot of exciting things to do! And each event is pretty unique! So celebrate the fall season and all of its thrills with food inspired by those events. Pick your favorite and give it a try or try a few different ones for a real fall feast!